Land of the Phoenix
by Eduard Kassel
Summary: A more complex history of the Avatar world gives rise to dangerous forces in the post war world. Ambitions rooted in a nearly forgotten past linger as an ancient secret society begins to lay the foundations for a new war. NOT ZUCEST. Being rewritten.
1. Prologue: Origin

_Not an AzulaxZuko story. That is for main characters and those two are as good as any for the whirlwind I have planned. As for pairings read and see. Also this is AU, and not High School AU*shudders* so do not expect me to kowtow to canon because in the words of a great AHer "I categorically reject your reality and substuitute it with ne of my own."_

_On that vein as my pater said to me, "Don't let the truth get in the way of a good story." _

_So enjoy and relax; or be tense if that is your pleasure! And remember to read is human, to review is Divine._

_I can safely say with no fear of contradiction that I do not, have not, and likely shall not ever own Avatar: The Last Airbender. If I did Zuko would of been the titular character and Ozai would of died, and- Hmm this could go awhile, just start reading the story._

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Prologue

The world: an ancient and mysterious place, where even those who dwell in a land for centuries are often ignorant, of what transpired there in the days long passed. Oral records are forgotten, the chain inheritance broken through war, plague, or chance. With time, even the most diligently kept texts crumble into dust, taking their secrets back into the void beneath human memory. Yet ignorance of the past does not invalidate it, whether seen or unseen the black roots' of history ensnare the world; shaping the present and laying the course for the future.

History, like memories seemingly forgotten, can turn up in the most unexpected times.

"_It was an age long past, the days before benders dwelled beneath the sky and before the Avatar walked amongst mortals. Those days that lie far beyond the reach of human memory, the second age of Man._

_In these days so distant that only the sealed chamber of the Owl Spirits library record them, Humanity reigned over the world. Through the power of machines, Humanity mounted the world as a Stallion mounts a Mare, and claimed it for its own._

_The forests fell to feed the insatiable hunger of the machines, and the depths of the earth and the seas were violated for their treasures. What lands remained unsullied was only for the pleasure it provided those same desecrators, not for the sake of the world. The world became diseased, its systems became overrun with poisons, and its body torn asunder. Kept alive only by still more machines, the world wept for itself and its lost children._

_In the final days of that age, Humanity was unified for the first and only time in its long and strange life. It was a union not born out of recognition of fraternity, or a desire for peace; but a domination by which their greed could be served, and to turn their exploitation on their own kind; as they exploited all else they had found beneath the sun. _

_In its pride Humanity turned its back on the Spirits, their temples fell and their prayers were forgotten as their greed grew. In the pursuit of domination of the material, they cast aside sacredness, and their lives became as the void. The tainted world drove away the spirits, back into their own world, where they waited for the inevitable._

_Having taken all the world had to offer, the rulers of the Empire cast about for something more. For they had suffered a revelation, that all the riches they possessed and power they wielded, did not fill the void they had carved into themselves. Like a dying man in the desert digs through the sand in search of water, they tasked their might to uncovering what they lacked._

_To their shock, the machines opened to them the world of Spirits. Beholding the power of the spirits, the masters of Humanity salivated in lust and longing. They gathered their machines and laid siege to the Divine. They would make this world and its secret theirs, stand atop the Heavens, and at last be sated._

_They were fools._

_As the Empire of Humanity made war on wonder, the King of Spirits at last roused from his distant throne, the patience of the king had been exhausted. At last he stood in defiance of the sickened mortals, and with a word drove back their onslaught. _

_No longer content to allow Humanity its liberty on the world of its birth, the King sent forth the four Cataclysms. First, there was the Tempest which tore across the world, a scream of righteous fury. On the second day the waves rose up, and broke upon the works of man, invading as it had been invaded. The third day the earth itself rose up giving voice to its ancient rage, shattering continents and raising new mountains. On the fourth, day fire rose from below and fell from above, the beloved pet turned on its master's. _

_Thus all that remained of the works of Humanity, was the Tower. Raised in tribute to their own glory it yet stood, a great black nail driven into earth and sky. It was on the fifth day that the King alighted upon the land and smited the Tower and all within. Thus Humanity and its dark ambitions were undone._

_The king sent the Spirits forth, to heal the world, and to gather what remained of Humanity to him. To replace that which had been lost new creations were made, that which was lost restored by the merging of that which remained. The poisons of Humanity's reign were purged, new forests arose, the winds blew, and the water flowed free; all was made right with the world. _

_As for Humanity, filled with terror the remnant where gathered, and brought into the presence of the King. They were spared, but changed. To ensure the power of Humanity would never again become so great they were divided into four tribes. To ensure they respected their world the King wove into each tribe a seed of the world's essence._

_From the survivors the King chose four who embodied the four great virtues of Humanity, and granted them each power over an element, and eternal life until death. To a woman who embodied wisdom, he granted the mastery of air. To a man who held empathy close to his heart, the secrets of water were granted. To a woman who held great determination, the solid earth was given. Lastly to a man of great passion, flames were bequeathed._

_The King placed upon each of the Four Immortals the responsibility to govern and guide the four tribes, and returned to his unknowable throne, to contemplate the endless facets of existence_."

So it was in a time separated from now by 12 millennia. Such time to have passed that memory of it only remains in the annals of the great library, and the knowledge of the noble Sons' of the Lotus, and the wretched Children of the Phoenix

_"Under the Immortals, Humanity rose from ruin and there was a new beginning. Under their guidance of the tribes grew to nations and grew apart, and to each a piece of the vast world was granted. It was a time of peace surely, for so little of it is remembered. Yet vile or virtuous all things must one day end."_

_"In their long years the Immortals delved into the depths of their talents, and had drawn out the ability to bend in their nations. In time they each in their turn discovered the four forbidden bending techniques: Blood bending, Climate Bending, Resonance, and the Grave Flame. They recognized the perils of these skills, and barred the temptation to use them from their hearts. Yet they had no release from life and its hardships, thus the tide of years eroded their wills._

_The Immortal of Water was the first to break the taboo. In his zeal for peaceful perfection he unleashed Blood Bending on his people. Depriving them of their wills he sought to end all suffering and hatred. When his fellows heard of this they came to his floating hall and attempted reason, alas reason had abandoned the Lord of Waters._

_What came was a battle, and havoc not seen since the fall of the Tower. At last the final blows had fallen, and the Lord of Waters lay dead, but with him the Lady of the Earth had fallen. The Immortal of Air in her wisdom, realized that the King had been mistaken. She feared that in their unending lives they had traveled beyond Humanity, and would only bring greater disaster._

_So the two remaining Immortals sought to change the shape of the world, to forestall a dark future of their own making. Gathering the remains of their fallen they summoned the spirit of the world itself, and bound it. From the spirit of the living world, the power of the four elements, and the willing sacrifice of a human life, a wholly new being came into existence: the Avatar._

_The Immortal of Air deceived the Lord of Fire, her life had been lost to bring about the change, and she had known he would have died in her place given the choice. From her remains was born the first Avatar, and the Avatar Cycle was set in motion._

_As the Immortals before it, the Avatar would guide Humanity and serve as a bridge between the world of humanity and the Spirits. Unlike them though, the Avatar would live many lives. Renewed by death and rebirth, the spirit would remain unbroken by the relentless onslaught of time._

_The last immortal, Zeizan Agni, who alone is remembered by name, raised the first Avatar in the ways of the immortals. With his death and renewal, Agni realized his own labors where at an end. Agni passed his authority over his nation to a worthy descendant, and the line of Fire Lords began. In the dead of night the last Immortal sailed West beyond Human knowledge, to await the end of days alone._

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This new and improve story brought to you by the assistance of my talented Beta Reader, Whispertomesoftly!


	2. Chapter 2

_I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender or any associated properties. OC characters like Montaine and others are my own creations and are not cannon. This zero profit anyway so I doubt anyone really cares._

_Enjoy it, or Not _

Chapter 1. Every Ending is a Beginning

The world was tumbling down.

Montaine watched the landscape burn through the monitor that served as his window to the lands outside the tower. He had tried to get a real window but the bureaucrats even defied a Director's wishes if they were absurd enough.

A mere five days ago he would have seen the cityscape of the City of Britain spread out beneath the Excelsior Building, the capital city that had swallowed all of the island of Great Britain, save for the hunting preserves in Scotland.

Now he gazed out over a land of ruin, outside of the tower not so much a girder stood up against the landscape. He watched as another group of refugees tried to make their way towards the tower, even braving the firestorm. Amusingly if any of them survived to reach the shields they would be shot by the troops in the lower levels.

Montaine's office was cavernous like all council members, three houses could comfortably fit into his workplace. He had decorated it with the black listed items his department had collected through the centuries. It pleased him that he could flaunt possessions that would earn anyone else a death mark. After all was not the essence of power the ability to do what other people could not?

It would all be gone soon, the tower and everything inside. The tower did not concern him. He had always regarded the Excelsior building as distastefully large and the Unifiers' way of compensating. He would mourn his treasures though; he had dozens of constitutions, various paintings, and religious relics.

The door snapped open and a man intruded on Montaine's thoughts. To enter without introduction it had to be a fellow minister.

The two men could not have been more different. Montaine easily asserted his presence, the man was 6' 3'' and sported broad shoulders, his pale skin was impeccable, a face accustomed to grinning outlined by a square jaw and a coal black beard. People would often assume him to be a brawler, but in truth his hands were not nearly as deadly as the mind that prowled behind his pale brown eyes.

His visitor in turn seemed barely present, hunched over, balding, sweating profusely, and wrinkles already creeping out from his eyes. Montaine regarded the new arrival as if he had just discovered a bug on the bottom of his shoe.

"Cortman, come to join me for a drink?" Montaine inquired. He gestured to his desk where a bottle of wine had been set out and half emptied. Cortman stared at him stunned by the simple query.

"What?" the timid minister asked. Montaine frowned at having his question answered with a question.

"A drink, the voluntary consumption of an alcoholic beverage. Care to drink a toast to Armageddon with me?" Montaine elaborated. Cortman seemed to recover what passed for his composure.

"Information Director the Chief wants the council to report to the emergency bunker for a conference-" Cortman began to recite.

"No, I will remain here for now, later I will take a little walk outside," Montaine answered. He returned to his desk and sipped some f the wine.

"Look what is happening you insignificant sycophant. It reminds me of the banned legends, where vengeful gods rain down destruction. Small wonder people remembered it. It is beautiful."

"Operation Longinus is a failure, a total failure. We lost and now ruin has finally come. The empire is ruined, the party is ruined, and humanity is being ruined. All it took was days, the Prime Entity goes beyond all expectations."

"This absurdly large building is your grave Cortman, that force outside is your death, and you want to miss all the fun by hiding in a hole?" Montaine explained.

"You are insane, you and Vincent both!" Cortman stammered.

"Really? Everything has gone according to Vincent's plan. He and the others are safely away, I am just taking in my art and the final data," Montaine explained polishing off the wine.

"If you leave here you will die," Cortman stated.

"You will die because you lack the courage to leave. I have no intention of dying, there is so much left to watch, and people left to control. We will learn from the mistakes made here today and start anew," Montaine answered. Removing a large envelope from his desk he placed inside a briefcase.

"The building has been sealed, you will not get out," Cortman challenged him. With a sigh Montaine withdrew a pistol from the briefcase and splattered Cortman's briefcase over his rug.

"Little men like you can only die in pathetic little ways, it is sad," Montaine observed. He tucked the gun back into place and in its place withdrew a satellite phone.

"Vincent? Yes, it was Cortman. The rug will burn up anyway. Thanks I'll hold you to that. I know, they pumped me up with the same stuff as you. He, well see you in forty years," Montaine said. He ended the transmission and picked up the briefcase. Emblazoned on the package was the image of a Phoenix.

Twenty hours later the Excelsior building as destroyed by an entity of power previously discounted as impossibility. Though none at the time took note one Director Montaine and six of his peers would not be among the dead.

_This will start making more sense. Next chapter will take place two days after the Battle of the Comet._


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Kalvin rode through the deserted streets of the Fire Nation's capital. The sacred city had seen better days, it was starting to remind him of Ba Sing Se in the days before the inner wall. Once anyone other than nobility, servants, and soldiers had been banned from the metropolis, but Fire Lord Zuko had opened the city to all. Leave the door open and the vermin will crawl right on in.

"That boy has no sense of standards," Kalvin sneered. He regarded a pair of beggars with loathing, feeling his gaze the pair hurried from sight. How he despised them, common, ugly, ignorant, and utterly lacking in any refinement. Letting this filth into the beautiful capital was like tossing pearls amidst swine, an unforgivable abomination.

He himself was quite the handsome man, never hinting at what lurked inside. His frame was slight, but unmistakably masculine, and his face was narrow ending in a pointed chin. His most remarkable feature was his red hair, which he wore back in a pony tail, furthering the sleek impression he conveyed. If someone had to describe what made him attractive they would start with that hair, and them stumble uncertainly. Kalvin was one of those who drew appeal through their sum total rather than one particular feature.

And it was more than that, the way he moved, the expressions, his body language, and even the tone of his voice, all of it came across well. He was a guy you could not help but like, and he had friends everywhere he had ever gone.

Even his servants liked him, despite the fact that he secret despised most of them. It was hard for this man to find company worthy of his presence. His standards were very exacting, the last three Fire Lords had failed to met them, and Zuko failed to the point that Kalvin relished the thought of making the brat's face symmetrically balanced.

Still life held pleasures he thought looking up at the moon. He had always loved the moon, it was so beautiful and clean, beyond the reach of the filthy hands of commoners. If that fool Zhao had succeeded in destroying his silvery pleasure he would of executed the admiral over the course of three days with a spoon and a spool of metal wire.

Kalvin shook himself from the pleasant thoughts of torture and the lunar beauty. He was quite late for a meeting and had urgent information to convey. Before spurring his horse on, he glanced back the way he had come. The palace was truly beautiful, he had drawn from the finest architects in order to make this nation's seat of power worthy of a god king. Now his beautiful work housed a scarred brat and his nihilist slut of a queen.

"Enjoy it brats, I will not let you keep it, you do not deserve it. Pray that my brother's do not let me have you," Kalvin whispered to the night. Without another word Kalvin rode into the darkness, away from the city he had designed over two hundred years ago.

Hei Dao made his way through the gloom of the passage. Though t was pitch black he had foregone light, he knew the way and only needed a hand on the wall to support himself against any obstruction. At last hi s foot touched wall, he had reached the end of the passage. Feeling around in the dark he soon discovered the ladder cut into the wall. Three steps up let him touch the ceiling and remove the bolt securing the door. With that gone it took only minimal effort for him to lift the stone enough to slide it out of the way.

The man who climbed up trough the floor was not particularly impressive. He was short than most you would meet, and his face had been made rather unappealing a series of wrinkles on his cheeks' and forehead. His black hair had turned to silver along his temples. Other than this he was rather forgettable.

Though if you spoke with him, you would remember.

His attention is focused on the cage before him, were a fallen ruler awaits his attention.

"I was expecting Montaine," former Fire Lord Ozai commented dryly. Despite all that had happened his voice still burned with pride and confidence, something to said for that, Hei Dao thought.

"The Grand master is busy brother. Perhaps considering his reaction to recent events it is better that I have come in his stead. Despite the Sons of the Phoenix's long aid in the War it has ended in failure, the empire remains unresurrected," Hei Dao commented. They could speak freely, the Guards were kept at a distance, after all the old guards were of uncertain loyalty and the guards Joung Joung had brought were likely to kill their prisoner given the chance.

"The boy wanted to know where his mother was, I told him. I could have told him many things, but I did not. I may have lost the throne , but I am still a member of the Secondary Circle, the Brotherhood owes me its loyalty."

"Your alchemy is strong Hei Dao. I know you have potions that can strengthen and weaken Benders," Ozai stated.

"Ah, so he hopes that what was taken from him can be restored," Hei Dao thought.

" The Phoenix has a long memory Ozai, we would not forget you. After all you were to rule in our name, Phoenix King" Hei Dao answered. He reached through the bars and deposited a small bottle inside.

"Drink that potion and you shall go into a coma and appear as if you were dead. When your son sends you to the sages for the last rites we will reclaim you," Hei Dao explained.

Without another word the alchemist returned to the hidden passage and closed the way behind him. It was true that the Phoenix had a long memory, especially for loose ends. A man who was provided with everything needed for victory and still lost was of no use to Montaine. As Hei Dao he had no qualms about poisoning a failed experiment, at least the fool would die thinking he still had a chance.


	4. Chapter 4

_I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender or any of the legally associated properties. I only own those characters and places I myself have come up with._

Reflections of the Beast

"The best laid plans, are ever reduced to ruin by the unknown," some general had said that. Montaine had heard it through Vincent, a firm believer in that sentiment. Yet again the brotherthood's grand design, lovingly crafted over generations had been laid waste by the actions of a few short sighted fools.

He and the other old timers took this in stride, while frustrating it was nothing they had not gone through before. Vincent's calculations had been perfect, alas the variables had exceeded their expectations, and thus the data they had presented proved misleading. Were Vincent still alive Montaine was certain there would have been no error. Vincent had only made two miscalcuations in his life, true the second one lead to his demise, but it remained an enviable record.

The work of three centuries had hinged on the outcome of the comet's return. All the variables had been entered into the grand design and it had predicted victory. Ozai's fleet would take off before the premptive strike sent by the White Lotus arrived. The Avatar would be divided between stopping the fleet from burning down the continent and defeating the Fire Lord. Even though the equations placed the avatar as more powerful, his unwlllingness to kill would ensure Ozai's victory. Meanwhile, the Fleet would turn its attention to the recently liberated Ba Sing Se, and break off Ozai's mad plan in order raze the city, and destroy the Order of the White Lotus once and for all. Zuko's pride would lead him to face Azula alone and she would kill him and whoever had accompanied him, Montaine had trained her to be undefeatable.

Things had gone as predicted, but not as expected. Though the Sky Fleet had taken off the sabouteurs had managed to baoard anyway, and one of them had discovered some new highly destructive bending technique. The Avatar had been able to focus om Ozai and pulled a deus ex machina out of his ass. Since when could even an avatar shut off bending permanently? Azula had proven to be the greatest disappointment, after fifteen years of training and perscriptions her mental collapse had occurred prematurely.

The failure of Azula actually bothered Montaine more than the lost war and all that loss entailed. After all he had spent a great deal of time regulating her, as her tutor he had built off of what Ozai's parenting, Hei Dao's chemicals, and crossed genetics had begun. She knew that her divine right to was validated by surviving her apprenticeship to the distinguished Tai Maine(Montaine's current alias) rather than simple blood right. Her faliure, seemed dangerously close to a failure on his part.

Tutoring her had been an enjoyable return to basics as well. It had been so long since he had guided a soul from womb to tomb, nurturing her disorders and breeding the serpents in her head had made him feel young again.

The first time she had been sent to him for lessons she had already gained that which was required. Her mixed bloodline from Roku and Sozin created divergent dharma in her soul, Zuko had been in balance between the two, while she had already been firmly tipped toward Sozin. There had been arrogance too, some would find such levels disturbing in a child, but Montaine saw potential instead. Arrogance was thinking you were better than others, he would replace it with the knowledge that she was better than others. So smug, so confident that his lessons would just be latest in a series of triumphs. That had left her open, despite the sheild on the table, the iron cane in his hand, and the emptiness of his villa, she had not been prepared for an attack.

She had regarded nonBenders as little more than sub human, cripples by nature. Lying on the floor, moaning from a cracked rib, and bruised in dozens of places he divested her of that notion. The pain centers became his goal, each blow precise, and each time her resolve fading a bit more. He offered no explanation, he simply kept beating the hell out of the brat. He could tell she had thought he was going to kill her, she reached that low point where you realize your fate is completely in the hands of another. That had been her first lesson; first hand experience of fear, and that when she was sumoned she was not a princess, just a student to pass or die like any other. Those were good days for him.

His attention was diverted, a mewling member of the Outer Circle was speaking again.

"It all has come to nothing, all this time and energy wasted," Admiral Ching wheezed. Montaine rolled his eyes at the melodrama of the young and shortsighted.

"Come down to nothing? Ridiculous, if nothing else the War has provided us with valuable data, that will greatly assist us with our future endeavors. Besides there will always be another war to fight. We can even hasten its coming quite easily."

"With the first human came loneliness. With the second came disagreement. With the third human came thje first conspiracy and the first minority against the majority. So long as there are humans in the world we will have infinte opportunities to reach our goals, because so many secretly want what we want. And all the power of the the spirits and the Avatar cannot change the facts that ensures our continued existence."

"Humanity is not ruled by love or hatred, rather we are enslaved to an insatiable ambition. We will never have enough, someone will always want more and eventually find a way to get it," Motaine concluded. The Admiral did not seem to comprehend. Montaine was not surprised; it was easier to see the truth when one has lived long enough to see the generations rise and die in their multitudes. He would soon have the pleasure of entertaining a higher class of human: the Inner circle. Then the next move would be decided.

It would have to be done soon, the Fire Lord was returnng from his diplomatic trip to the Earth King's court. The boy was about to learn what it meant to sleep in a nest of vipers.

_Right this is probably seeming like sound and fury signifyinmg nothing, but next chapter will focus on Fire Lord Zuko(returned from the trip where we saw the Avatar crew in Iroh's tea shop) and everybody's favorite Avatar girl, Azula. Toph Bei Fong coming a close second in my opinion. _

_Please read and review. _


	5. Regrets & Memories

Regrets & Memories

His father was dead. The first thing they had told him when he and Mai returned from the Earth Kingdom was that the former Fire Lord was dead. It seemed like a joke, he had expected, even hoped that AAng would have the courage to kill his father, and for his father to survive the avatar only to die in prison. It seemed wrong somehow.

He wan not even certain how he felt. Regret, relief, anger, all these and more coursed through him. This man had been his father, the man who scvarred and exiled him for no good reason, and a man who had planned to carry out a second genocide. Zuko had told Ozai that he hoped his time in prison would lead to the fallen tyrant headinng down the right path, that he had hoped was true, but he had not believed it would happen. Agni help him, he felt relieved that the man was beyond hurting anyone.

Not quite though, he had managed to hurt his son again despite it all. That same day Zuko had demanded to know what had become of his mother, and the fallen Fire Lord had seemed to acquiese. It was an islet on the northern coast of Byjern, a stretch of sea filled with small islets and treacherous reefs, that was where his father had told him his mother was kept. Zuko had made the journey with Mai and Aang, the flying bison letting them bypass the dangerous sea route. His anxiety was for nothing, because that is exactly what they had found.

The islet was deserted, the only signs of habitation a charred ruin. It was not recent, the fire that reduced the cbuiding to rubble had taken place at least two years prior. Had his father twisted his question? Had she been sent here only to be later moved? Or had the wicked man lied outright just to torment his son with the one bit of leveragehe retained. Zuko had wanted to go back to the capital right there and then, either to get the truth from his father or beat it out of him.

Aang had bluntly refused to take him back, actions taken in anger always lead to regret he had said. He advised Zuko to continue with the trip to Ba Sing Se, he needed to meet with the Earth King about the Peace Treaty, not to mention see their friends again at the Jasmine Dragon's grand reopening. This would give time for Zuko's temper to cool and allow him to approach his father calmly.

Now he was too late. The rumors circulating claime that the deposed Fire Lord had taken his own life rather than live in captivity for the remainder of his days. Others claimed it was an assassin from the Earth Kingdom, after all they had been demanding he be extradited for execution, along with several other ranking members of the court and Fire Military. A minority were even whispering that he had orchestrated his father's death and would soon murder his sister, the "rightful" Fire Lord.

The thought of his sister made the Fire Lord wince. He had only been to see here at the Vai Ka asylum once, it had been a most disturbing encounter. Even now when he thought of Azula he saw her as the master manipulator, the fighter who had been the first to obtain blue flames since the 37th Fire Lord, and so in control. It had been a girl in that cell, delusional, paronoid, and depressed. The cell was one designed to contain dangeroys master levl firebenders, but he was tarting to think a normal cell would do.

She was hallucinating, he had heard she was taliking to herself, but she had mistaken him for their father. She had thought Ozai was there to kill her for lossing, she had begged, Azula had begged, for her life. The rasons she offered where mostly nonsensical about assassins and teachery, but her terror was real. Inexplicably she had seen as himself mid rant and changed her tone. Sehe went from terrified to depressed, but now nearly recongizable as his sister. She observed that he had gotten all that he wanted, the throne, her broken and locked away to be forgotten, and he had mother back. He tried to tell her that he did not want her locked up, this was for her safety and others, he had promised he would bring their mother to see her.

That had elicited the strangest moment, she looked at him as if he was mocking her, and pointed out that she was with him right now. The princess' manacles had clinked as she roused from her cot and walked thrugh the water that covered the floor to stare throughthe door grate. She was saring intently at someone that wasn't there.

"Please take me back to the sun light, if I stay in the dark I'll starve," she had whipered to no one. Zuko had withdrawn, no to be honest he had fled after that. He had thought his father insane with his vile plan, but this was undiluted madness, the loss of connection between a person and the real world. She was his responsibility, especially now with father gone and mother still unaccounted for.

He could not tell her what had happened to their father, it could only further agitate her. How could he hope to lead the Fire Nation back into harmony with the rest of the world if couldn't save his own sister from her demons?

_"Memory's so treacherous. One moment you're lost in a carnival of delights, with poignant childhood aromas, the flashing neon of puberty, all that sentimental candy floss . . ._

_The next, it leads you somewhere you don't want to go . . ._

_Somewhere dark and cold, filled with damp ambiguous shapes of things you had hoped were forgotten. Memories can be vile, repulsive little brutes. Like children I suppose." -the Joker, "The Killing Joke" by Alan Moore _

Her head was broken, she knew that much for certain. What had she done to end up in the this cell? Had Master locked her in again, or was that dream where she fought Zuzu what had really happened. The gears in her head had cracked, several falling away, some of them continued their arthritic motions while others spun swiftly and impotently conecting with nothing.

Some of the people she talked to weren't really there, all of them being real was to contradictory, but which ones? None of them were nice, any pleasantness only left her deeper when she came back into the darkness. The torch in the corridor gave her some light, but it was not enough, it only made the shadows dance. They were waiting in the shadows, for her to fall asleep so they could crawl into her ears and gnaw on her soul. Only the sun could kill the shadows, and she was too far from it.

She wanted out, just the chains, they could keep her in the cell, just no chains and she would thank them forever.

Her joints creaked as she stepped off her cot, the lukewarm water came up over her ankles, everything in here was wet, her hair clumped together obscuring her vision as she made her way across the cell. Her door step was above the water, it held her half eaten dinner, and her basin. She had no apetite, she oulled the basin as far from the food as the door stp allowed, before hiking up her skirt and relieving herself.

Unbidden the chains of her manacles brushed her exposed thighs, the sensation sent he back to that other cell.

It had been her last lesson under her Master, after that first beating she had only ever called him that, and only thougt of him as such after the sixth. When she crossed his threshold the rest of the world no longer existed, it was a hierarchy of two him on the top and her below him. His house was always deserted, she dd not think he actually lived there, it had occured to her that it existed just for the puropse of his lessons.

Her father had described him as an old friend, that was a lie. Her lessons had taught her that friendship was only an illusiin for self gratification, and either of them were the type to abide by such illusions.

This time he had lead her beneath his house, down a long flight of stairs, too deep to lead to a basement. At the bottom she had found her hell, a barren cell, with the thickest chain she had ever seen hanging from the wall a large manacle affixed to the end of it. She had taken the sight in, puzzled and apprehensive. He had ordered her to strip, stroking the top of his cane as a reminder. Ashamed and fearful she obeyed, and followed him to the wall. He had fitted the single manacle around both of her slender ankles, locking them together and effortlessly pushed her to the ground. Without another word he gathered her cothes up and left her there in the dark.

She did not know how much time passed in the darkness, she tried to sleep but could not. Eventually her master returned, he carried with him a plate loaded, with rice, shrimp and carrots, as well as a cup of water. He sat the plate on the floor and offered her the cup. She gratefully drained the cup, which he took back, and departed. Turning her attention to the food she craled as her bindinf required only to be brought up short. The food was only a few inches beyond her reach. She called after him, but no responce was forthcoming. She was close but for all her efforts she could not close the gap.

The process was repeated, he gave her a drink of water, took the old plate, and replaced it with a new one. It was also just beyond her reach. This explained why he had stripped her, he had taught her how to use her surroundings to her advantage, even fickle jewelry could become a deadly weapon or a life saving tool if you opened your mind to the possibilities. He had left her nothing to extend her reach with.

If he was bringing her the traditional three meals a day it was on the third day he spoke to her. She was in a sorry state, her hunger had subsuded from demanding to a festering discontent, no bathing had left her hair greasy, she probably smelled, though that was covered up by her having no option but to go in the corner of the cell.

"This cell is your tomb if you choose it," he had spoken as he replaced the old plate with a fresh one.

"The greatest weakness a human is capable of, is attachment. It always holds you back from pursuing your old goals, whether its an attachment to peole, or an attachment to certain ideas. I have shown you the truth eneath the world's illusions, now you must act on that knowledge. Break the chain abd you will be free of attachment, free to gt not only what you want but what you need. Fail to break it and you will rot down here. Your corspe will never be kissed by the flames and free your soul to alight to the sun. Your bones will turn to dust and any proof you existed will vanish with the dust," he explained.

"You lie, I am a princess of the Fire Nation, my fathers favored child, he would kill-" she began, forgetting herself in hunger and growing fear. He silenced her with a swift blow to her chin.

"Your father wanted me to test you, to see if you were worthy of succeeding him. If he finds out you are too weak do you think he would even shed a tear, no more than for your hopeless brother. As for your mother she thinks your a monster, threat to her precious son, your death would be a relief to her. As for your brother and your so called friends, they don't miss you now, why would they feel anything but happiness if you simply never came back?"

"You have the same options as any animal sine the dawn of time, live or die," he told her the door closing behind him.

She had set to work immediately. Her fire burned bright in the darknmess as she bathed the chain in it. It did no good. She tried focusing it on a single link, it began to glow but the effort left her lighteheaded. She nearly passed out and was a long time recovering. Fire required fuel, she was limited cut off from food and sunlight. Azula tried that three times more before exhaustion drove her to sleep. Her master had clearly come and gone t least once while she slept, the food intoxicated ith its aroma, the hedache she awoke with refused to go away.

Her fire couldn't break the chain, and she couldn' work on the manacles without setting herself on fire. Perhaps she could use the fire to get the key? He might have it on him, if she could incapacitate him and get the key, she would be ableb to reach the food and door.

She was awake when he came again, waited until he offered the drink to strike. It was simple for him to counter her, she was chained and starving, while he was fit and free. His cane struck her temple and she fell into hazy darkness. He stopped coming after that and all sense of time vanished with him.

She realized she was dying, but she did not want to die. Her lessons had convinced her that Agni had never listened to anyone's prayers, just as there was no real reason to follow his rules there was real reason to expect anything beyond death than other emptiness. If she died her she realized no one would remember her, she would never feel the warmth of the sun, or the sea breeze, or see her friends again.

She refused to let this happen, surely there was some reason she existed? Her purpose in life could not have been to die here. Could it?

"No!" she could not accept that, "She needed to make it hotter and stronger than anyone had taught her."

The flames gushed out from her left hand in a thin stream striking a single thick link. This was the last time, if it did not work now she was dead. She poured everything into the fire, her fear of death, her hatred for all the people who would forget her, and the singular desire to not die, all of it turning the flames searing blue.

It must have made a sound when it cracked under her fire and her left hand pulling on the chain, but she could not hear it through her head splitting open. There was no thought as she hauled herself across the insurmoutable space. She did not even consider the chopsticks sticking out of the bowl, she scoopped up the cold rice, and stinkng hrimp with her hands and stuffed them down her throat. When the bowl had been licked clean she finally let the darkness overtake her and collapse naked, still bound to part of the chain.

She had awoken, in the house, tucked into a bed and mercifully wrapped in a crimson nightgown, she had returned to the academy two days later. She tried to convince herself it had only been a nightmare, that she had come by her blue flames through some womcerdful meams like Agni in the legends, but she it would seem she had not been able to forget.

Chains, that horrid girl had put them back on. She could never forgive her. To be bound again had was worse than anything, drowning in the ice would have been better, at least then she was home and in the sun. But now the chains were back on, maybe they had never been off and it had all been a dream from the bed to her coronation?

Azula made her way back to her cot, summoining what little flame remained to her to dry her feet. She did not want to sleep in a wet cot. As she tried to sleep she wondered if Ty Lee would visit, she could always amuse Azula.


	6. Problems with Peace

_I do not own Avatar TLA, if I did I would be rich and tearing down suburbs to have forests replanted. I own this story, all OCs and the city of Azulon idea. Anyway I do not see why anyone would make a big deal out of this fanfiction so enough diclaimers let te show go on. _

"These terms will never pass my lord," Counselor Taira stated. He had finished perusing the peace treaty Zuko had brought back from the Earth Kingdom. The Counselor was younger than Uncle Iroh with his beard only jusat strting to turn silver. Zuko had made this man into his right hand man on Iroh's recomendation and Mai's advice. Taira came from a very weathy noble family and as such had been freer than most when it came to expressing his opinions during the late Fire Lord's rule. His suggestions that the war be ended with a negotiated peace wirth the Earth Kingdom had seen him banished from the court, now the order was turned upside down as he was the Fire Lord's primary counselor while Ozai's favorites had fallen from grace.

"The Earth King want's us to withdraw completely from the continent. Sire if you agree to this you will lose the throne," Taira stated.

"If we want to start anew we have make amends, the continent was the original territory of the Earth Kingdom," Zuko anserwed flatly.

"Was, being the key word sire. The past hundred years cannot simply be wiped away however much we might want them to be. The Provinces of Azulon, Reise, Dorman and Kai; these terriotories are majority Firebender, by at least three quarters. Many of the settlers inherited the land from their parents, it is home to them. Azulon is one of finest cities in the Empire, built by our people. Frankly if you order them to leave most will not, especially to ture their lifes work over to the descendants of refugees who were driven out."

"As things stand the econmy is in terrible shape, with the war over demand for weapons and vehicles had dropped to virtually zero and the army is demobilizing. A large segement of the populatiojn is without work or prospects. Right now he soldiers are gratefull to be out of the red zones but when their money runs out they will be trouble."

"The nobility mostly hates you since their claims on the continent are in jeapordy, if not for yoyr alliance with the Avatar many wouldhave already moved against you," Taira said. Zuko was well aware that many in the Fire Nation where not surwhat to make of him. First he had been a disgraced Prince, then a traitor, a hero, a traitor again, and now he was Fire Lord. It wasn't a coincidence that people cheering his coronation were foreigners. Right now he was riding on the support of those who had suffered under his father's rule, but as hjard times hit they might desert him as well.

"Here's a fact that might be able to take to the Earth King, if we left the continent where would we put the Colonials?" a red haired man suggested. Kai Li, the heir to a fabulous merchant fortune and a dandy of the court, and sadly a member of Zuko's inner circle. The manwas attracted to power, Zuko was under no delusions regarding the man who had always been a fixture at social functions in the court. It seemed to run in the family, the Kais had been loitering about the ranks of the great and powerful for over two hundred years according to Mai, and got more annoying with each generation. Annoying to Mai at least, the man was as skilled at charming people as Ty Lee was at knocking them out. Even now he had friends in nearly every faction and exerted some degree of influence in all the major ones. Zuko might need the man, but he did not like him.

"After all we have been encouraging women not at work in the army to have as many children as possible. Even with the war our population has grown immensely, the Home Islands just can't accomodate un unless certain measures are taken," Kai Li continued.

"What measures?" Taira asked.

"Plague, famine, and what not once everyone is pcked back onto the Isles, give another hundred years and maybe a civil war or two and everything will be dandy," Kai Li answered sipping his tea. Zuko wanted to hit him, but unfortunately he might be right.

"Your legitimacy has already been called into question sire, if you agree to these demands anyone with a drop of Agni blood will be able to find supporters to oppose you," Taira reiterated.

"Azula was defeated in Agni Kai, that leaves me as the sole heir of Fire Lord Ozai," Zuko answered. He looked over a map o the Fire Nation that hung on the wall, how was he going to save his people from themselves?

"That is just it Fire Lord Zuko," Kai Li broke in.

"Rumors have been going aroud that Princess Azula actually won your duel, and that it was the water bender that defeated her not you? The truth does not interest me, however if that is the truth Princess Azula retains a claim to the throne,"Kai Li explained.

"She is no longer a threat," Zuko told them. Unbidden he remebered her screaming and weeping in chains, the sight coulsd not have been more unexpected. Even in a world where he had become a trusted ally of the Avatar, Azula falling apart like that had never seemed possible. Zuko had visted her, and was frightened of the stranger he had meet, Sokka when told had suspected she was faking, but Zuko knew then she wasn't. Azula had been as strog as iron, butr now she was broken.

* * *

It had been a long time since Montaine had worn his saber. The blade was a custom job, to his knowledge there was not another saber in the world. He appreciated that, he had always been fond of the design and its rarity made it even more valuable. Unlike some of his corades Montaine was not a fighter by trade, after all he could damage people far more easily with words and manipulating circumstances. Still he had devoted a few centuries to perfecting his techniques.

"Feels good doesn't it?" a high voice stirred him from reverie. The man who had joined him on the deck odf the Fire Navy ship was dressed in the usual Firebender uniform the mask covering his face. Yet his eyes shined faintly a bright blue that would give younger men pause with the thoughts that flickered over them.

"You should get out more, killing is the best way toi fee alive, all the better when you walk with your own death. Fighting with papers and pliers has nothing over seeing a man erupt into flame or be crushed into pulp by boulders. Or my personal favorite when they bleed out in one great torrent full of confusion and -"

"Barnok, enough your here to secure the target, once that is accomplished you are free to kill everybody. However you will learn what exactly I can do with stiff paper and a lot of time if the target is killed," Montaine interrupted.

"Heh heh, yes of course. After all you said this would help along another war, and you have other more fun work for me coming up. This war made up for the bordeom sibnce Agni destroyed the Wave Emperor, it has been a most sumptuous festival, and I will not let the festivties concludfe in such a piddly way, I will get one last xlimax out of this war and hold it cloe until the next and the one after that," the old waterbender giggled.

Montaine rolled his eyes at the killers limited dialogue, he may be a member of the inner circle but the man was only a willing tool. However, he was right about Montaine being excited. Vengance was not somethng familiar to Montaine, he had rarely been attached enough to anything to get more than annoyed at its loss. Howver a few in his long and strange life had managed to reach him, and she had been one of them.

That freakish woman had foiled Vincent's plan, and worse had made one of Vincent's calculations incorrectin doing so. Montaine had no doubt that weas why Vincent had taken such an uncharacteristic gamble to deal with her. Avatar Kiyoshi, the fact that the most maginificet man Montaine had ever encuntered had been killed by that ugly cow drove to what passed for rage in his mind. He had remained calm and patient all these centuries, and had even allowed the cow to die believing she had done well.

Montaine was about to collect on the debt she owed him. In mere miuntes they would make landfall on the island and he would peronally insure that the people recieved the destruction their ancestors had escaped. True it would cover their abduction of the target, but Motaine was not thinking about that than anymore.

* * *

The lookouts at Chin saw the fires that night but the frightened town did not stir from its walls until morning. Only snoke rose from the isle so a group of the bravest men set out on boat to learn what had occured. They found no one, the town from the pettiest building to the Statue of Kiyoshi had been burned to ruin and the people left where they fell. No survivios where revealed when the island was scoured, all that stood untouched was a Fire Nation flag flapping amidst the rubble.


	7. Bad News

_Alright the bad news is the dreaded H word, hiatus. It has become clear that I have bitten off more than I can chew so all my projects are suffering. To amend this situation I must put at least one project on the back burner. So LotP is going on hiatus. This is not a cancelation I fully intend to return and finish this story at a more sane time._

_I aploogize and leave you with some dark image foreshadows. Now if you'll excuse me I am off to destroy Manitoba, its been to quiet for to long._

Kiyoshi was burning, but she did not seem to mind

Kiyoshi was burning, but she did not seem to mind. She was fighting with Roku whose face was covered with boils. Aang tried to peak to them but they were far away and he had to go through a door. Toph was drinking tea inside with a fox wearing a mask, Aang was distressed yo see the young girl crying.

"Toph!?" he asked running up to the pair.

"Het twinkle toes, I'd like you tyo meet my pal. He got me some pearls, tell me how they look," the brazen girl demanded. She held her necklace out for him to see. Aang lost his footing and fell to his ass, among the pearls rested a familiar pair of pale eyes, and he could see that his friend was bleeding not crying as blood flowed from empty sockets.

"Avatar?" a familiar voice called out. Recognizing her voice Aang sprang to his feet and turned to face the princess of the Fire Nation. She was not about to attack, she was sitting in the dark barely visible a pile of wood in front of her.

"Could you please light the fire its very cold," she asked in a voice Aang did not recall. Aang obliged and wished he hadn't. The Princess was clothed in filthy rags and the floor was covered in vipers. As she reached out, warming her hands, a snake emerged from the rags and wove around her arm. Venom poured out of its mouth and drowned the fire. On the poisoned waves a ship capsized and sank to thunderous applause.

The puppeteer bowed to the audience and Aang watched with interest as he placed a new pair of puppets onto the stage a clown with a sword and a red dragon. With deft skill the puppeteer made the two figures fight, Aang could see the dragon should be winning but is did not kill the clown. Finally the clown cut off the dragons head and a raven erupted from the canvas to snatch Aang into the sky.

Aang struggled free of the bird only to plummet through the sky. With a smack he landed in a cozy chair a goblet resting on the table in front of him.

"Would you care for something to drink?" a monkey asked him holding forth a bottle.

"Sure," Aang answered. The monkey uncorked the bottle but centipedes poured out filling the goblet. Aang leapt from the chair as the bugs started to approach him and saw his shadow dance before him. Turning he saw the sun suspended by a chain, a giant taller than the world grasped the chain with one hand and closed the other over the sun in a fist.

In the darkness flame erupted. In the failing light an old dragon lay before Aang its limbs broken. Its eyes were full of pleading, but Aang could not help him.

"Aang its alright," Katara called out. She was behind him but Aang was not about to go down that road again, he kept staring at old dragon as its fire guttered out.

"Aang," Katara insisted shaking his shoulder. The Avatar awoke, not with a start but that feeling of surprise when receives when suddenly realizing it was a dream. Katara was looking down at him, a look of concern clear on her face.

"Something wrong?" he asked half yawning the question. She was relieved by his response.

"That's my line you were tossing in your sleep, made for a rude awakening," she answered. Aang looked around the room they were currently sharing. It was one of the apartments Mai's family had used when the Fire Nation had controlled the city. He had come here to help Bumi rebuild and ensure that the questions between Firebenders and Earthbenders on who owned what did not develop into something nasty.

He could not tell if it was morning yet, but he had no intention of gong back to sleep.

_Please Read & Review_


	8. Notice of Resurrection

Notice of Resurrection

Sorry, this is not really a new chapter. It is more of a notice, as the title would imply.

As the title would also, imply this story is getting some fresh blood. This is the work of Bakunawa, whom I promised two new chapters of this story too. However, reviewing this story, and reviewing the reviews of this story; it became clear it was far from presentable. So before I add anything completely new the entire tale is going to be rewritten.

Myself and my beta reader have the technique to rebuild it, to make it better, stronger, more grammatically correct than ever before.

The first chapter, now the prologue, has already been updated. If any of the old readers are still around I would be interested to hear what you think. Once the existing chapters have all been rerwritten this entry will be taken down and replaced with the thrue chapter eight.

Take note that this does not end the story poll. If this story loses the poll it will get the rewrite, two chapters, and ne promptly placed on the backburner in favor of the winner. So if you like what you see voting is advised, thogh you might also want to peruse my other works just to be sure.

Thank you for your time.


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